Huntington wrestlers take perfect mark to Indiana
By DAVID WALSH - The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON -- Huntington High School�s wrestling team hopes to experience another growth spurt Friday in the Floyd Central Super Duals in Floyd Knob, Ind.
The Highlanders have as many freshman starters -- four -- as they do seniors. Yet, they are 6-0 in duals and have won the only tournament they�ve entered, the 15-team Chiefs Wrestling Classic last weekend in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
At North Myrtle Beach the Highlanders amassed 236 points to 197.5 for runner-up Hilton Head. Huntington had six individual champions and junior Robbie Williams, who went 4-0 to win the 130-pound title, was named tournament MVP.
"The schedule gets us tougher," Huntington coach Bill Archer said.
Williams elaborated on that.
"The seniors and juniors have to do the job and the young guys have to step up," Williams said. "They have to get old fast.
"I have confidence in the coaches," Williams said. "They tell me what to do and how to do it and when the match ends, my hand goes up. That means what they told me was right."
The eight-team Floyd Central Super Duals shape up as Huntington�s toughest test to date. Corydon Central, Floyd Central, New Albany and Trinity are in Pool 1. Indianapolis Pike (1999 state champion), Louisville St. Xavier, Fern Creek and Huntington comprise Pool 2.
Every team will wrestle every other team in their pool in the first three rounds. In rounds four and five, the top two teams from each pool will meet and the third- and fourth-place teams from each pool will square off. The first-place team overall gets the championship trophy.
"The competition is real good," said unbeaten senior heavyweight Mitch Hastings.
Hastings knew the Highlanders would be young, but said that would not be used as an excuse.
"Everybody has the heart to do it," he said.
Huntington is 3-0 in trips to South Carolina.
The Highlanders won the Myrtle Beach Classic the first two years before the tournament name changed. North Myrtle Beach coach Charlie Clay, a former Huntington teammate and classmate of Archer, extended the invitation.
Huntington currently is the only out-of-state entry, but that may change. Clay said in The Sun News in Myrtle Beach that bringing in experienced teams helps local teams improve.
"Huntington is a strong team, but the competition is getting closer," Clay said in the article. "Next year, we�re going to bring in three or four teams from out-of-state to play so the kids get to see the wrestlers from other regions."
Parents and friends of the wrestlers travel with the Highlanders on overnight trips. The parents of Robbie Williams, Russ and Jan, went along last week and watched their son claim the MVP award.
"It�s a big motivator," Williams said. "To get that trophy and have my mom and dad there, it felt really good. I was excited."
Williams knows there�s more maturing to do before the main event, the West Virginia High School Championships, Feb. 22-24 at the Huntington Civic Arena. He was a state runner-up last year.
"When I
got back Sunday, I went for my run and started getting ready for Indiana,"
he said. "That was not what I was going for though. The state is the goal."